Blue Dragon: The Sacred Stones
by Ultimashadow 2.0
Summary: AU. Based on the game Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. This story follows Princess Kluke and Jiro as they escape from Castle Renais to find Kluke's brother, Prince Shu. But along the way, danger strikes the two. Multiple pairings.
1. Prologue

**I am officially crazy! I'm actually choosing to balance four stories by uploading this! But, this idea in my head just wouldn't stay away so.... here's the first chapter of Blue Dragon: The Sacred Stones! All I can say is.... enjoy.**

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**Note: This is an alternate universe fic based on the game Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones for the Game Boy Advance.**

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**Note 2: I will call Sui 'Xi' in this story.**

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**Note 3: Since this is an alternate universe fic, the characters' relations will be different. You'll see how.**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon or Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. I just own the idea of putting them together.  
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**Prologue: Grado's Betrayal: The Fall of Renais**

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In a age long past... evil flooded over the land. Creatures awash in the dark tide ran wild, pushing mankind to the brink of annihilation. In it's despair, mankind appealed to the heavens, and from a blinding light came hope..... The Sacred Stones.

These five glorious treasures held the power to dispel evil. The hero Renais and his warriors Grado, Frelia, Rausten, and Jehanna used the Sacred Stones to combat evil's darkness. They defeated the wretched Demon King and sealed his soul away in the stones. With the darkness imprisoned, peace returned to the continent of Magvel.

But this peace would not last....

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The continent of Magvel. For some 800 years, a quiet peace reigned in the absence of the terrible darkness. The Sacred Stones have been passed down from generation to generation within the five nations. These five nations have been built around their power and their legacy.

There is the kingdom of Renais, ruled by King Fado, the peerless warrior king. His two children are Prince Shu and Princess Kluke. Then the kingdom of Frelia, ruled by King Konrad, the venerable Knight Master King. His two children are Prince Andropov and Princess Bouquet. The kingdom of Jehanna, ruled by Queen Ismaire, the Queen of the White Dunes. Her daughter, the princess, has been recently reported missing. The theocracy of Rausten, ruled by King Tarkovsky, the Divine Emperor, his granddaughter is Princess Primula, and his niece is Princess Xi. And finally the Grado Empire, ruled by Emperor Vigarde, the stalwart Silent Emperor. His son is Prince Lyon.

These five nations house the power of the Sacred Stones. It is now the year 803. In an instant, the whole continent of Magvel is threatened by an unexpected atrocity. The Grado Empire, the largest of the Sacred Stone nations, has invaded the kingdom of Renais under orders from Emperor Vigarde. A longtime ally of Grado, Renais is caught off guard, unable to mount any resistance. Compounding King Fado's worries, his son, Prince Shu, has gone missing. Grado's momentum carries its armies to the gates of Castle Renais itself. Renais will fall..... it is inevitable.

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Knights of Renais whom have seen the invaders dashed towards the King's throne. One knight approached King Fado. "Your Majesty, I bear bad news. The castle gate has been breached. Emperor Vigarde's forces are within the castle walls."

King Fado sighed. "I understand. If I should die today, many must survive while I fall."

"The garrison has fallen. We've lost contact with Prince Shu and can expect no aid from his men. Your Majesty, what can we do?"

King Fado stood up. "...What else can we do? Order the troops to lay down their arms."

Kluke walked up to King Fado. "Father...."

"Kluke... are you wearing the bracelet that I gave you?"

Kluke stretched out her arm. "Yes, I have it right here."

King Fado took a deep breath. "General Jiro!"the king called

Jiro arrived on a wyvern. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Take Kluke and head for Frelia. King Konrad is an honorable man. I trust he will keep you safe."

Jiro bowed. "Understood, and what of Your Majesty?"

"Me? I'll stay here. We've long held Grado among our dearest allies, yet now, they attack? I must know the answer. Am I somehow responsible for this? Have I erred in my leadership? Renais is mine to guide. How could I have failed her so?

"Father, you can't stay! You mustn't! If you remain behind then so shall I!"Kluke yelled

King Fado sat down again. "Go now, Jiro! Fly! Take my daughter to safety!"

Jiro took Kluke and flew away on the wyvern. "Forgive me, Your Highness."

Grado forces then infiltrated the castle and prepared to kill King Fado and his soldiers. _"Shu, Kluke, my children..... You must survive."_King Fado stared into the eyes of Emperor Vigarde and Prince Lyon.

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Jiro and Kluke successfully made it out of the castle. Jiro and Kluke hopped of the wyvern. "Princess Kluke we must..."Jiro then saw enemy forces approaching on wyverns. "Princess Kluke! Quickly! Behind me!"Kluke obliged as the two saw Grado's forces heading towards them.

One of the wyvern riders hopped off and looked at Jiro and Kluke with hungry and demonic eyes. "You there, with the girl. Tell me, would that be the wayward princess of Renais?"He then got a good look and smiled. "Well, this must be my lucky day."He then glared at Jiro, his smile never leaving his face. "Your a dead man. The wench goes with me."

Jiro hopped on his wyvern. "Never!"Jiro and the general glared at each other as they prepared to duel.

"I am Lemaire, the Moonstone, Grado's finest general! And you're just a corpse who does not does not know that he is dead."Lemaire then flew around Jiro and stabbed him on the side with his lance.

Jiro almost fell off of the wyvern as he clutched his side. "Ahhh.... No! We must retreat!"Jiro then took Kluke and flew away.

Lemaire only looked at Jiro's retreating form. "Such a terrible wound, and yet he still holds on to his duty? How entertaining. Fly away, little man. Fly away. Try to outrun death. More time to savor the hunt.... and the kill."

"General Lemaire, they're escaping! Should we..."The soldier's words were cut off as Lemaire killed him and the other soldier.

"Shut up. You're usefulness is at an end."

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Jiro flew to a safe area with Kluke behind him. The two then hopped off. "Princess Kluke! This way! I can see no more of Grado's men."

Kluke smiled a sad smile. "Thank you, Jiro. If it weren't for you, I would never have made it out the castle. You are the reason I'm still alive. You have my gratitude."Kluke moved closer to Jiro. "And whoever that man was, he was clearly after me... It is my fault that you received such a grave wound. Allow me to treat it. I..."

Jiro interrupted her. "Your Highness, I cannot allow an injury like this to become an obstacle. We have more important matters to attend to. We must press on to Frelia. We must fulfill His Majesty's wishes."

"...I wonder how my father fares alone in the castle. Do you think he's safe? And what of my brother on the Grado front? We've heard nothing of him for days."

"King Fado and Prince Shu are both valiant and brave men. Sure, Prince Shu is reckless, but he's also determined. I doubt even the Grado Empire can hold them in check. More important to me, Your Highness, is that you look to your own safety. How sad the two of them would be if something were to happen to you. We must reach Frelia to ensure the day of your happy reunion."

"Yes, of course. Your right. Until I'm reunited with my father and my brother, I must not despair. Come, Jiro. Let us go."

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Jiro flew to a bridge and stopped to look at Kluke. "Once we cross that bridge, we'll be in Frelia, near Border Mulan. Let us proceed Princess Kluke."Kluke hopped on the wyvern as Jiro was going to hop on as well. "Your Highness, I won't lie to you. This will not be an easy ride."Jiro pulled out a sword and handed it to Kluke. "Please, take this Rapier. If something should happen to me, you must continue to Frelia, alone if you must."

Suddenly, more soldiers came in the direction of the two. "You there, Renais dogs! Where do you think you're going!?"

"I must fight."Jiro charged at one of the soldiers and stabbed him with his sword. "One down, two to go."

One of the soldiers aimed for Kluke and attempted to slash her. But she quickly evaded the attack and stabbed his heart. "My brother has taught me somewhat of swordsmanship."

Jiro smiled. "Now all that's left is their leader."

"Bring it on! It's time you high-and-mighty knights learned to respect a true warrior!"the soldier then ran towards Kluke. "I am Nell! You will be the first to die!"Nell then tried to slash Kluke. However, she evaded the attack and stabbed him multiple times in the chest. "Ugh! No! How!?"Nell managed to say before dying.

Jiro smiled and walked over to Kluke. "Princess, are you injured?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm fine. I'm just thinking about things. I want to see this through to the end. And I will not rest until I see my brother again. Let's go Jiro."

"As you wish."Jiro obliged as the two hopped on the wyvern and flew into the night.

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**End of the prologue. Review please.**


	2. Ch1: Frelia: Border Mulan's Infiltration

**And now, it is time for chapter one of Blue Dragon: The Sacred Stones! Jesus, I'm getting a little too enthusiastic with my work. That's making me a show-off. And that is..... AWESOME!!! So, please enjoy this chapter while I go to bed.**

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**Chapter 1: Frelia: Border Mulan's Infiltration**

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Grado soldiers were approaching Border Mulan to head for Castle Frelia. Many Frelian soldiers fought them off while one entered a fort. Once there, he approached the Princess. "Princess Bouquet! Grado's forces are approaching!"

Bouquet clenched her fists. "What!? So soon!? Ack! We've had no time!"

"Milady, we lack the arms to defend this fort. You must return to Castle Frelia."

Bouquet stomped on the ground. "I can't! Not yet. We haven't found Princess Kluke or her companions yet. Kluke is my friend, and she needs my help, so I won't abandon her."Bouquet's mind then drifted to another subject. "And I don't know if my darling Prince Shu is okay."But then, she came up with an idea. "Oh! I know! Go ask Father... I mean King Konrad for more troops."

The soldier bowed. "Yes, Your Highness!"

The soldier then exited the area as he headed for Castle Frelia. Bouquet stared out the window with one thought circling around her mind. "Kluke, please be safe."

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Grado soldiers infiltrated Border Mulan and killed most of the Frelian soldiers. "Commander Breguet, the enemy appears to be fortifying it's position in that fort. Your orders?"

Breguet drew his lance. "Hmph, They're tenacious, but they have no hope of stopping our advance. And as for my orders..."Breguet turned to the crowd of soldiers. "...You all just stand here and watch! I'll take all of these Frelian fools out myself!"

The soldiers saluted Breguet as he walked towards the locked fort. He then approached a soldier as he clutched his lance. Breguet then jabbed the lance into the soldier's heart, killing him. "Ha! That's what happens when you face my lance!"Breguet then entered the fort by breaking down the door.

Once he was inside, he saw Princess Bouquet on her trusted Pegasus, holding her lance. But she seemed hesitant. "St.... Stop right there! Call off your forces and turn back, or you'll have ME to deal with!"

Breguet frowned. "Is that so? And who might YOU be?"Breguet said in a tone filled with boredom.

Bouquet's face turned to one of anger. "Who....!? I am Bouquet, Princess of Frelia! I will not permit you to abuse my country any longer!"

"Frelia's royal brat, huh? How convenient..."

"Leave this fort immediately! If you harm me, my father and my brother will chase you to the ends of the earth!"

"Yes, I've heard how King Konrad dotes on his precious little daughter. Let's see how true that is. You'll make us a fine hostage, my dear. Seize the girl and lock her up!"

Soldiers appeared from the broken gate. "Sir yes sir!"They then grabbed Bouquet, threw her in a dungeon, and locked it. Much to her dismay.

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Kluke and Jiro arrived to see the soldiers there. They were easily outmatched again. Kluke noticed the broken down door of the fort. "Jiro, look."

Jiro turned to the gate and hopped off his Wyvern. "I see it. It seems like Grado's army as already reached Frelia. Princess, this place is perilous. We should bypass Border Mulan altogether and head straight for the castle."

Kluke hopped off the Wyvern as well. "But... we can't ignore this... You were there when Renais was invaded... You saw what I saw. You saw how people suffered at the hands of Grado's soldiers. Homes were destroyed, possessions were stolen, women were kidnaped.... Anyone who resisted was executed without question, without hesitation. Please, Jiro. I cannot allow that to happen here. I don't want to see more people harmed by Grado's atrocities."

Jiro sighed. "All right, Princess. I understand. Perhaps we can retake Border Mulan. But, Princess, you must act with caution. Your people need you, too."Jiro hopped on his Wyvern.

"Of course, Jiro! Let us go!"Kluke unsheathed her Rapier.

Jiro and Kluke started to eliminate Grado soldiers that were in their way. Jiro stabbed through them with his lance as Kluke slashed them all with her Rapier.

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Suddenly, two figures approached the battlefield. One was a boy with brown hair on a horse, holding a lance and a sheathed sword. And the other was a woman with long white-ish hair holding only a sword. The boy started to speak. "Lady Zola, is this Border Mulan? Have we reached Frelia's border already?"

Zola looked at the area that they were on. She finally came up with an answer. "Aye, Daner. We have. My suggestion is that this means Her Highness, Princess Bouquet, is inside that fort. This should be easy."

Daner noticed the battlefield and started to panic. "But look... the countryside is crawling with Grado soldiers! Where is the castle guard!? Has Border Mulan fallen too!? Are we too late!?"

Zola rubbed her temples. "Stop asking so many questions damn it!"The scary woman soon calmed down. "But it's too tough to say from here. Princess Bouquet is in no danger if they want her as a bargaining tool. Us knights of Frelia will see her to safety."

Daner shrugged. "I'm a knight of Renais. But you're right, we mustn't give up. We must move. We must retake this place. Then, we ride forth to Princess Kluke's aid."

"I have stronger armor than you do. I'll take the lead. Watch my back, okay?"

"Got it."

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Jiro looked at Zola and Daner. Soon his face brightened up. "Daner! Over here!"Jiro waved his arm.

Daner saw Jiro calling him. His face brightened up as well. "General Jiro!"

"Wait for me!"Zola ran after Daner.

Daner and Zola killed most soldiers that stood in their way of Jiro. Kluke then ran to Jiro as well.

"General Jiro, it's good to see you again. And you too Princess. Have you two been well?"Zola smiled.

"General Zola, it's good to see you as well. And you as well, Daner."Jiro then looked at the battlefield to find all of the soldiers dead. "Wow, we killed them all."

"All that's left is that guy guarding the fort."Zola pointed to Breguet. "He doesn't look so powerful."

"Bah! A worthless lot of curs I've been assigned! Very well then, I'll take you all out myself!"Breguet threw his lance at Daner, who quickly dodged it. Jiro then flew to Breguet on his Wyvern and punctured his head with his sword. "N... No! This.... can't.... be....."Breguet managed to say before dying.

"We win again!"Kluke cheered. "Let's go inside the fort now. Maybe we'll find something."

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The team went inside the fort and went to the dungeon. There, they saw Bouquet. Zola then approached her. "Princess Bouquet."

"Lady Zola, I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you so much trouble."Bouquet frowned. She felt guilty that this whole mess in Border Mulan was her fault.

"It was no trouble at all, Princess. I live to serve, do I not?"

Kluke then ran over to Zola and Bouquet. "Bouquet!"

Bouquet stared at Kluke with surprised eyes. "...Kluke?!? Is that really you!?"Bouquet was still surprised.

Kluke grew worried. "Bouquet, what are you doing so far from Castle Frelia? Does King Konrad know of your absence?"

"I heard that Renais had fallen, and I was so worried... But I'm glad to see that you're safe..."Bouquet then thought of something. "...Wait! Where is Shu!? Is he well!?"

Kluke's face grew even more worried. "I wish I knew."Kluke then stared at the ground in sadness over her brother's disappearance.

"You haven't heard from him? Oh, I hope he's not harmed."Bouquet then looked out the window. "Come, we must go to Castle Frelia. My father, King Konrad, may know something."

Kluke hugged Bouquet. "Thank you."

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Kluke and her companions have liberated Border Mulan. Alongside Princess Bouquet, they ride to the Frelian capital. The team entered the throne room to find King Konrad with a joyous face. "Oh, Bouquet... I am grateful to see that you're safe and home again! You have no idea how worried I was when I heard that you were under attack at Border Mulan."Konrad ran over to Bouquet and hugged her tightly. He then let go and looked her in the eyes. "You are not to leave again without my permission. Do you understand?"

"Don't be mad, Father. Look, I come bearing good news. Kluke! Come out now!"

Kluke walked over to Konrad and Bouquet and bowed. "King Konrad, I am pleased to see you again, even in these times of despair."

Konrad smiled. "Ah, Princess Kluke! It does my heart good to see you safe."

"Thank you. I was able to escape the castle before Renais fell. But I am not sure if my father..."

Konrad's facial expression changed to one of sadness. "Yes. I... have received word of your father."

"Your Highness? Please tell me? Is my father well?"

Konrad stared at the ground. "...My friend, King Fado... did not survive the fall of Renais Castle. I'm very sorry Kluke. Prince Shu told me that before he left."

Kluke's face dropped as tears were close to falling down her face. "...No.... it cannot be..."Jiro just looked at the ground as well. Regretting not saving the king.

King Konrad put his fist to his chest. "Rest assured, Princess Kluke, Grado will be punished for its cowardly act. This is Frelia's promise. Princess Kluke, please stay here and rest. I cannot imagine how exhausted you must be."

Kluke looked at King Konrad. "King Konrad... you know more of my brother's disappearance, do you not?"

"Yes, we hear that Prince Shu and his soldiers hound Grado at every turn. It is said that he led his forces into the empire itself. Reports suggest he's crossed Grado's border and now fights in Renvall."

Jiro looked surprised at Shu's bravery. "Prince Shu... He fights on? Even now?"

"Yes. My Pegasus Knights bought this information at a great price. Even though Renais has fallen, your brother still charges into the enemy's heart. He is truly the son of Fado and the grandson of Fushira. What a valiant youth. I bet those two are looking at the two of you and are proud at what they see."Konrad then switched back to Shu. "I wish I knew whether he remains unharmed, but alas, I do not."

Kluke smiled. "King Konrad, I thank you for your offer, but I cannot stay. I intend to ride to my brother's aid with reinforcements."

Bouquet jumped up and raised her fist in the air. "Count me in! Please Father."

"I cannot allow it. I know how you feel, but this plan is suicide. I would be betraying Fado's memory if I allowed anything horrible to befall you. Stay here. Rest and mourn. Leave the war to the warriors."

Kluke took a deep breath. "I know you mean well, Your Majesty. However, I have lost my father, and my twin brother is in peril. My brother... he is a part of me... I cannot rest here in peace while my brother risks his life."

"No, Renais has no more army. Grado's forces have decimated it. I wish Frelia could provide you with support, with soldiers, but... My son, Prince Andropov, is on his way to meet the empire's forces. We cannot spare a single brigade. Your own retinue of knights cannot possibly face Grado alone. Are you so determined to go."

Kluke spoke up. "Yes... With apologies."

King Konrad sighed. "...As resolute as your father, eh? What am I to do in the face of such foolhardy determination?"King Konrad came up with an idea but his facial expression was one of slight regret. "Bouquet, bring General Furioso and General Vermilion. I want you and those two to go with Kluke."Konrad then turned to Zola. "Zola, I trust that you will accompany Kluke and her squadron to Grado's territory."

Zola bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."

Kluke smiled. "Thank you, King Konrad."

"Don't thank me yet. Save your thanks for your return... with Prince Shu."

Kluke and Bouquet said their final words as they headed out the castle door with Jiro, Zola, Furioso, Vermilion, and Daner. Konrad stared at their retreating forms as a thought crossed his mind. "Kluke, Bouquet, be careful and see that Prince Shu is safe. King Fado.... you should be proud, your children have matured so much."

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**End of chapter 1. Review please.**


	3. Ch2: Clinging Onto Life

***Looks around* …Where am I? Wait… nostalgia's hitting… OH! Blue Dragon Fanfiction Archive! I'm home! :D**

**Err… Ignore that idiotic phrase up above. But yeah, after like… one/two years, I'm back in the Archive that inspired stories jumbled up in my messed up head! And MAN the Archive grew significantly while I was gone. I guess I should explain that last part. *Ahem* The computer Kasumi and I shared got messed up… pretty badly. ._. Our phones were still able to let us go on and read stories of our favorite authors(Yamadori, Inita, Rune, An, Growlmon, etc.), but we couldn't write anything. It. Was. TORTURE. So much torture in fact, that I actually saved up money to get a new computer. Result: we got a new one! :D And as Kasumi made her comeback, I shall make mine. With the second/actually third chapter of **_**Blue Dragon: The Sacred Stones**_**! Enjoy new and old readers. And it feels great to be back. **

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_King Konrad apologizes for not being able to provide more soldiers on Kluke's quest. However, the two soldiers he _has_ provided have proven to be more than useful. Realizing this fact, Kluke is grateful for Konrad's aid._

_Chasing rumors of Shu, Kluke and Bouquet set out for Grado. The group's first stop in their journey is the remote villages of Ide, which was, until very recently, a peaceful place to live and a part of Renais. _

_Here, Kluke sees the devastation that has befallen Renais with her own eyes._

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**Chapter Two: Clinging Onto Life.**

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Kluke stretched, turning to Bouquet, Furioso, and Vermilion. "Jiro has mapped out a route for us. We'll travel south of Renais and pass through the town of Serafew into Grado territory."

General Furioso, a white haired soldier with a sword sheathed on one side of his Frelia uniform, and a bow kept at the other, scratched his head. "Hm, that _does _seem like a sensible plan. Assuming, of course that we can avoid any run-ins with those psychos from Grado."

General Vermilion, another Frelian soldier mounted on a horse, looked Kluke in the eye. "Princess Kluke, may I have your leave to scout ahead?"

Jiro tapped Vermilion's shoulder. "I think I should do it. From the sky, I'll have a better chance of spotting any nearby troops."

Vermilion looked at Jiro. "Just don't get shot down by any archers. I've seen what happens to Wyvern Knights when that happens."

Bouquet cleared her throat, having everyone's attention. "I think I'll be the one to scout. Unlike Wyvern Knights, Pegasus Knights have exceptional evasiveness and stealth."

Jiro blinked, pointing behind Bouquet. "My apologies, Princess Bouquet, but where is your Pegasus mount at the moment?"

"Huh? That's an easy question. It's right over-" Bouquet turned and saw Daner and Zola, but no Pegasus mount at all. "-…Where is my Pegasus mount?"

Zola scratched her head sheepishly. "I believe you.. erm.. left it back at Castle Frelia."

Bouquet deadpanned, waving her hand to Jiro as if telling him to go on and scout. Jiro, somehow knowing exactly what Bouquet was trying to send to him, nodded and flew to the mountain range.

Daner looked on at Jiro's retreating form. "Err.. shouldn't we press forward slowly just for the sake of advancing?"

"Silly Daner. We'll die if somehow there happens to be soldiers on the way." Zola smirked, patting Daner's head.

"H-Hey! Stop that!"

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Jiro flew to the villages of Ide. He then had his Wyvern rest on a flat part of the mountain as he watched the village closely.

Ide was composed of three small villages all separated by a long mountain road. There seemed to be nothing on the first two villages, so Jiro decided after he finished scouting the third village, he'll give the note that it's safe to cross.

A few minutes passed, and Jiro saw no threats at all. With the safety of Ide proven, he hopped on his Wyvern and proceeded to head back to Kluke and the group.

…That was before he heard a fire.

"What-? What was that?" Jiro turned to the fire in the third village. On closer inspection, there were no villagers residing there except for two individuals who had just escaped the burning village. "Who could've started that…? Grado? No, this is too low even for them nowadays. But who-"

Jiro's train of thought was cut off as he noticed five men with axes marching out of the village. He flew closer to them in order to hear any sort of conversation, but he still kept hidden.

"Damn it! Just when I thought this low-down village would have something useful, it proved to be just deserted garbage!" A fairly tall man with light brown hair and a beard connected to it cursed.

Another person from the group, with red hair, a short beard, and bucked teeth, tapped the man's shoulder. "Hey, Boss! Look over there." He pointed at the other two villages. "There are two more villages ripe for the picking. Maybe they have somethin' inside worth taking."

"One, two… -holy Dragonov! You're right. Ha ha ha! I love a good war! With all those stupid Renais soldiers preoccupied, we're free to pillage as we please!" The man, now revealed to be the boss of the group, turned to the red headed one. "Right, Bone—you're in charge. Grab everything that isn't nailed down and bring it to the hideout."

Bone nodded. "Yes sir!" He saluted as the man left.

"Bandits..." Jiro cursed under his breath. "Of all the ill-mannered dastards our troop has to deal with… it had to be bandits…" He sighed. "I have to warn Princess Kluke- Hm?"

Jiro's attention shifted to the two people who escaped the now ruined village. They both had green hair and wore cloaks. But one of them was… a child.

The adult, a mother, looked at her son. "Stay hidden in the bushes. I'll try to clear the path of bandits so we can get to Frelia safely. Understand?"

The son, actually a young teenage boy, nodded. "Yes. I understand. B-But… I don't want you to go off and risk your life. I want to fight those bastards too!"

"No. If you were to die, I would be betraying your father's dying request. Just stay. Do you unders- Look out!"

A lone bandit sprinted to the two, axe in hand. The mother acted quickly, unsheathing her sword and slashing him across the chest.

She turned to her son. "When we get an opportunity, I want you to flee as fast as you can."

The son nodded fearfully, patting a lump on his leg.

Jiro cursed under his breath again as he turned to the direction of the troop. "I can't stay. We have to rescue those two as quickly as we can."

"Hey! You! Wyvern!" A voice called out in the distance.

"Son of a…" Jiro looked in the direction of the voice and saw a bandit archer standing on the mountain range across from him. "What do you want?"

The bandit yelled. "I want that Wyvern of yours. Now."

"And if I say no?"

The bandit smirked and readied his bow at Jiro. "Then you die. I'm not stupid. I know what arrows do to winged mounts."

"Hmph.." Jiro glared at the bandit.

"I'll give you 'til the count of th- !" The bandit was easily silenced as a javelin was soon seen in his back.

Jiro blinked. "Who in the world…?" A Pegasus landed right beside Jiro. When Jiro looked, he saw who the rider was. "Princess Bouquet! How did you get your Pegasus back?"

Bouquet smiled. "My father sent it over. It's a good thing I came just in time, no?"

"Yeah." Jiro nodded. "Thank you for the assistance. Shall we head back to the troop?"

Bouquet nodded as well. "Yes. Let's."

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Jiro and Bouquet flew back to the group in a hurry. None of them bothered to land as soon as they arrived.

"How's the territory, Jiro?" Kluke asked.

"Bad."

Daner stared. "How bad, General?"

Bouquet sighed. "There are bandits ahead, and lots of them."

"Really? Just bandits?" Furioso chuckled. "Well, this'll be easy then."

"I wouldn't assume that so soon. Let's go into battle and see for ourselves." Vermilion told him.

"Right! Let's go!" Kluke hopped on Jiro's Wyvern as everyone took off toward the scene of the raid.

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The mother was still fighting off bandits and killing them off with quick strokes of her sword. The son just watched as his mother did all the fighting. One the one hand, he was relieved to see that his mother was okay and that she was protecting them both. But on the other hand, he felt enraged at his own weakness and inability to fight.

"What are you still doing here? Run!" She yelled to her son, quickly slicing through another bandit.

"O-Okay.." The son nodded and began running to a nearby brush.

Unfortunately, one bandit spotted his retreating figure. "There's one!" He smirked, flinging his axe at the boy.

"Noi!" The mother dashed toward her son, diverting the axe's path and grazing her shoulder in the process.

"M-Mom!" Noi ran to his mother's safety, completely unaware of the approaching horde of bandits.

"J-Just run.. go.." She struggled to stand up, holding her bloody shoulder.

"No! I'm not leaving without you!"

One of the bandits snickered. "Fine. If you wanna die together.. charge!"

The bandit horde ran full speed at the defenseless pair. Noi looked on in fear as the mother glared at what was to come. The bandits raised their axes as they got ever so closer. Then, out of the forest, Zola tackled the bandit in front, stabbing him in the chest.

"What the-? Renais?"

Both a sword and a lance came in contact with most of the bodies of the bandits, making them fall to the ground lifelessly. Jiro and Bouquet flew down and took their weapons, unleashing the same projectile attack.

Furioso hid in a tree, positioning his bow to the bandits' direction and firing it, hitting more than one in just one strike.

Vermilion rode in directly at the remaining bandits, plowing them over and slashing the ones he can reach.

Only one bandit was left standing. "…I… I need backu—Urgh!"

Kluke's rapier was suddenly lodged into his chest, killing him quickly. Kluke pulled out her rapier and turned to the mother and son with a smile on her face.

"We're sorry to be so late. Are the two of you okay?"

Noi nodded shyly as his mother stood up.

"Yes. Thank you." She smiled, then observed Kluke carefully. "Tell me, are you the Princess of Renais?"

"No, I'm erm… a mercenary name-"

The mother pointed at Kluke's bracelet and grinned. "It's okay. I'm sorry to have pried about your identity. But I do thank you for the help, Your Highness."

"Please. It was no trouble." Kluke reassured her. "Anyway, we must be going. There are undoubtedly more bandits along the mountains."

The mother pondered for a moment, then spoke to Kluke again. "Princess Kluke, allow me to join your side in the war."

"H-Huh? Are you sure, madam? I-I mean-"

The mother reassured her. "Please, call me Hildegard. I need to make this world safe for my son Noi." She motioned to Noi, then continued. "I will at least keep him someplace safe, then go with you."

"What? No way! I'm going too!" Noi cried out.

"Noi! You know it's dangerou-"

"I know that! But I'm not about to watch you put yourself in danger for me!" Noi stared into Hildegard's eyes. "Please, I'm not a bad fighter. I learned from Dad."

"Whether you're a good fighter or not, I'm not going to let you risk your life in the war!"

"I lost Dad! There's no way I'm going to run the risk of losing you too!" Noi's words shocked Hildegard, but he continued to speak. "I'll protect you! I don't want to watch you die!"

"Noi…" Hildegard closed her eyes. "…Fine. You can come with me. Is that okay, Your Highness?"

Kluke smiled and nodded. "We'll take care of him too."

"Um… not to ruin anything, but…" Jiro pointed at the mountain. "More bandits are coming."

"Bzaba's Bandits…" Hildegard growled. "They've been close to Ide, pillaging our village for quite some time."

Jiro pointed at Bone. "He's the one we need to take out. If we take out their leader, they may retreat for now."

"Right!" Hildegard spun her sword around, running toward Bone and his bandit forces.

"H-Hey! Don't go off alone like that!" Jiro flew to Hildegard, the group following.

Hildegard slashed through any bandit standing in her way. Surprisingly, Zola caught up with her and began doing the same thing.

_The way Hildegard battles… where have I seen that before…? _Jiro pondered, stabbing through some bandits with his sword.

Bone looked on at the oncoming group. "W-Wait a minute! Who are you people?"

"This is for Ide!" Hildegard slashed at Bone, but he rolled out of the way in time.

"Tch… blasted wench!" Bone threw his axe at Hildegard, hitting her in the wound from before.

"Ack!" Hildegard stumbled and fell as bandits began to surround the rest of the group.

"Hildegard! Hang on!"Kluke and the others began to fight off the crowd of bandits, but they just kept coming.

Bone snickered, walking slowly toward Hildegard with his axe at the ready. "Now… you'll be the first to die!"

Bone swung his axe down, but a flying dagger hit the center of it, shattering the axe completely.

"Who did that?"

Noi pulled out another dagger, snuck behind Bone, and stabbed him right in the back.

"Noi!" Hildegard tried to stand up.

"Urgh… bl-blast it all…" Bone fell, the other bandits looking at his body in fear.

"…Retreat!" The bandits ran away from the group in a disheveled panic, clearing the area quickly.

_I understand now…_ Jiro offered Hildegard his hand and she took it, standing up. "General Hildegard of Renais… nicknamed the _Green Tornado_. That's you, isn't it?"

Hildegard chuckled. "And here I was hoping my past would stay dead. Yes, I'm that same person. But I retired as soon as Noi was born."

"I understand." Kluke walked toward the two talking. "But if you're retired, what made you change your mind and fight alongside us?"

Hildegard looked at Noi, then back at Kluke and Jiro. "I want to make this world safe for my son."

Noi grinned. "And I'm going to protect my mom. End of story."

Kluke smiled. "We'll help you too."

"So long as we defeat Grado…" Zola looked at the sky.

"Right. Let's go." Bouquet hopped on her Pegasus mount, flying toward the road ahead with Kluke and the group in tow.

* * *

…**I'm done? Woo! I'm done! :D**

**Well, I don't have much of an ending note. Sooo… bye. XD**

**~Ultimashadow 2.0.**


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